News about Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) â” Shutdown, July - August 2011, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Mar. 25, 2015

Federal Aviation Admin approves plan to expand Powder River Training Complex for bombers over 35,000 square miles of Northern Plains, despite concerns that expansion may disrupt civilian flights or damage rural economies. MORE

Mar. 20, 2015

Federal Aviation Administration gives Amazon permission to conduct test flights of its delivery drones outdoors; it will probably be years before online retailer can begin delivering packages to people's homes from the air. MORE

Mar. 19, 2015

Justice Department says it will not criminally charge federal employee Shawn Usman, who was flying a private drone that crashed on White House grounds in January; Federal Aviation Administration starts investigation to decide whether Usman should be fined. MORE

Feb. 19, 2015

Editorial welcomes Pres Obama's measures to oversee drone use by government agencies, but says they fall short of fully protecting Americans' privacy; notes Federal Aviation Administration's latest proposals allow commercial use of drones but with restrictions; contends that with such a new technology, efforts must be made to lay down appropriate uses for such devices. MORE

Feb. 17, 2015

Joe Sharkey On the Road column points out Federal Aviation Administration findings that reported incidents of so-called unruly passengers were at lowest level in 20 years in 2014, down 60 percent from high of 310 in 2001; notes, however, International Air Transport Assn says incidents have risen steeply worldwide in recent years. MORE

Feb. 16, 2015

Federal Aviation Administration's proposed rules for commercial drones are less restrictive than current ones but may preclude type of delivery services companies, like Amazon, are exploring; rules include restrictions on speed, altitude and hours, and also require operators to see drones with naked eye; Pres Obama, in effort to address privacy fears, signs memorandum requiring government agencies to publicly report drone use. MORE

Feb. 10, 2015

Federal Aviation Administration, in response to request from entrepreneur Bigelow Aerospace, says it will ensure that American companies do not interfere with one another on moon or elsewhere in space; move, while it does not grant ownership over portions of moon or violate 1967 Outer Space Treaty, provides framework for future business operations in space. MORE

Feb. 5, 2015

Law enforcement officials report that Secret Service agents investigating Shawn Usman, operator of drone that recently crashed on White House lawn, believe there is sufficient evidence to charge him with a crime; case has been presented to federal prosecutors, and Usman may also face civil charges from Federal Aviation Administration. MORE

Jan. 31, 2015

Federal Aviation Admin is investigating near collision between JetBlue passenger flight and small aircraft in skies over Westchester County Airport. MORE

Jan. 28, 2015

Federal Aviation Administration will fine United Airlines $1.3 million for violation of rules related to shipment of hazardous materials; found 120 violations in 2013 that were largely related to inaccurate cargo descriptions. MORE

Jan. 8, 2015

Federal Aviation Administration says it is instituting industry-wide process requiring airlines to create risk-based plans by 2018 which will allow it to stay on top of hazardous patterns and prevent accidents; approach is common in other industries and United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization has urged all countries to adopt it. MORE

Jan. 5, 2015

Town board in East Hampton, NY, decides not to apply for more federal grants for local airport, reclaiming power it says it surrendered to FAA to set airport rules and regulations; intends to address mountain of residents' complaints about noise, including limiting takeoffs and landings. MORE

Dec. 7, 2014

News analysis; Federal Aviation Administration is struggling to deal with regulatory nightmare of integrating recreational drones into most complicated airspace in the world; many local governments have introduced legislation to restrict use of drones in some way instead of waiting for FAA to issue new guidelines. MORE

Nov. 27, 2014

Drones, small unmanned flying vehicles, have become common nuisance as pranksters, troublemakers and criminals find uses for the increasingly inexpensive technology; Federal Aviation Administration, saying it receives about 25 reports every month of drones operating near manned aircraft, is expected to issue new rules for commercial use by 2015. MORE

Nov. 19, 2014

National Transportation Safety Board rules that Federal Aviation Administration has authority to apply restrictions against 'reckless or careless use' of aircraft to unmanned drones. MORE

Nov. 19, 2014

National Transportation Safety Board says government has power to hold drone operators accountable when they operate them recklessly; rules small drones are a type of aircraft and fall under existing Federal Aviation Administration rules. MORE

Oct. 1, 2014

Federal Aviation Administration begins 30-day review of air traffic control system and will focus on two critical issues: decreasing vulnerability to failures at single location and keeping closer track of contractors, who perform growing portion of work; National Airspace System has long been prone to failures that can delay both planes and air control data, with ripple effect through nation. MORE

Oct. 1, 2014

Federal Aviation Administration is requiring airlines to replace cockpit displays on Boeing's 737 and 777 jets--more than 1,300 airplanes--within next five years to avoid interference from Wi-Fi and cellular devices. MORE

Sep. 30, 2014

Federal Aviation Administration says flights at O'Hare International Airport are returning to normal, and it hopes to have damage to communications center by contractor's employee Brian Howard fixed by Oct 13; Howard is being held in jail without bond, and faces a felony charge of destruction of aircraft equipment. MORE

Sep. 26, 2014

Federal Aviation Administration will allow six filmmaking companies to use camera-equipped drones on certain movie and television sets; decision, first major exemption to ban on commercial drones, follows intense lobbying from Hollywood; could pave the way for wider use in industries like agriculture, energy and online retailing. MORE

Jul. 29, 2014

Federal Aviation Administration plans to fine Southwest Airlines $12 million for repair violations on some of its Boeing 737 jets; airline has 30 days to respond to complaint. MORE

Jul. 23, 2014

Major airlines in the United States and Europe suspend flights to and from Israel after rocket falls about one mile from Ben-Gurion International Airport outside Tel Aviv; Federal Aviation Administration instructs American carriers not to fly to Israel for 24 hours, citing ongoing dangers posed by conflict in Israel and Gaza. MORE

May. 1, 2014

Computer failure at Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center forces Federal Aviation Administration to hold planes on ground at Los Angeles International Airport and other airports in region; government officials are uncertain why system failed. MORE

Apr. 29, 2014

Westchester County Airport officials are scrambling to save one of its smaller runways where tree growth on property on Connecticut side has long made landings challenging for pilots; Federal Aviation Administration forced airport to shutter 1,300 of the 4,451 feet it had on the runway in 1989, and may force a further reduction if owners of bordering property continue to refuse to flat-top trees. MORE

Mar. 20, 2014

Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing study finds that major systems on company's 787 Dreamliner jets are safe and well designed, but that federal regulators need to provide more oversight of the far-flung supply networks that are building these and other new planes; study was commissioned following problems with lithium-ion batteries that lead to grounding of the new jets. MORE

Dec. 31, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration announces that it will authorize test sites for drone aircraft in upstate New York, New Jersey and at least eight other states; agency is preparing for a time when unmanned aircraft of various shapes and sizes cruise over the landscape. MORE

Nov. 5, 2013

Joe Sharkey On the Road column; new Federal Aviation Administration guidelines on in-flight use of electronic devices will be adopted slowly and piecemeal, at first; not all airlines will embrace changes right away. MORE

Oct. 6, 2013

Last week, a panel recommended that the F.A.A. change its rule, allowing passengers to use their electronic devices from gate to gate, including takeoff, taxiing and landing. MORE

Oct. 6, 2013

Editorial welcomes recommendations submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration by a committee of experts for new, clearer regulations on the use of electronic devices on planes; contends that since there is a lot of confusion among passengers about why restrictions apply, clarification is a sensible move. MORE

Oct. 1, 2013

Advisory panel to Federal Aviation Administration says airlines passengers should be allowed to use the entertainment features on their personal electronic devices throughout the flight; says restrictions should remain on sending text messages, browsing Web or checking e-mail. MORE

Oct. 1, 2013

Some answers to questions about the review panel’s recommendations to Federal Aviation Administration for electronic devices on planes. MORE

Sep. 23, 2013

Rules on when to turn off electronic devices on airplanes have been a point of contention for travelers; Federal Aviation Administration, faced with flood of personal electronics on airplanes and under pressure from tech-savvy and tech-dependent passengers, is looking for ways to modify its policy while keeping passengers safe; relaxed policy is set to go into effect in 2014. MORE

Jul. 20, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration says it will order inspections of wiring in emergency transmitters on Boeing 787s as it continues to narrow search for what caused a fire on one of the jets at London's Heathrow Airport. MORE

Jun. 21, 2013

An industry working group assigned by the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to recommend relaxing the ban on portable electronic devices during takeoff and landing. MORE

May. 22, 2013

Federal firefighers are exploring use of small remote-controlled drones to map size and speed of wildfires, but effort is being held back by safety requirements of Federal Aviation Administration. MORE

Apr. 28, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration says that it has suspended its employee furloughs and is returning to normal staffing levels, while Pres Obama spars with Congressional Republicans over who is to blame for week of air-traffic slowdowns. MORE

Apr. 26, 2013

Senate, driven by bipartisan concerns over mounting airport delays, reaches agreement giving secretary of transportation enough flexibility to stop further budget-related furloughs and bring nation’s air-traffic control system back up to full strength; bill would allow as much as $253 million to be moved from other parts of Transportation Dept to Federal Aviation Administration. MORE

Apr. 26, 2013

Op-Ed article by industry consultant James E Hall warns the aircraft industry and its regulators at Federal Aviation Administration share a cozy relationship that sometimes takes front seat to safety; calls on Congress to take closer look at FAA's practices and procedures to make sure safety is top priority. MORE

Apr. 25, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration chief Michael P Huerta tells skeptical Republicans on House appropriations subcommittee that sequestration has forced agency to be run like starving airline; says budget cuts have caused air traffic delays and halt to hiring. MORE

Apr. 24, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration says furlough of air traffic controllers delayed more than 1,200 flights on first weekday of unpaid leaves; lawmakers criticize agency's handling of automatic budget cuts required by sequestration. MORE

Apr. 6, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration says it will delay closing control towers at 149 airports until June 2013 to allow for safety analyses; closings had been planned as part of $637 million spending reduction at agency required under across-the-board budget cuts known as the sequester. MORE

Mar. 30, 2013

Five airports mount legal challenge to Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to close 149 air traffic control towers because of federal budget cuts. MORE

Mar. 24, 2013

Under mounting pressure, the Federal Aviation Administration hopes to announce that it will relax the rules for reading devices during takeoff and landing. MORE

Mar. 23, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration, due to federal budget cuts, says it will close 149 control towers at smaller airports, but even a tower at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago could be affected. MORE

Mar. 22, 2013

Nevada joins crowded bidding to become designated federal test site for commercial use of drone aircraft; Federal Aviation Administration program plans to allow as many as six states to test technology for five-year period. MORE

Mar. 18, 2013

Companies, universities and lawmakers in the United States are preparing for explosion in the use of remotely operated aircraft, which will soon be put to work in wide swath of industries; domestic market for drones is expanding due to ever-cheaper components and move by Congress ordering Federal Aviation Administration to clear airspace for them by 2015. MORE

Mar. 7, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration is close to approving tests of Boeing's approach to fixing batteries on its 787 jets, and tests could begin soon; FAA could still demand changes in proposed design if problems develop. MORE

Feb. 27, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration rejects a request from Boeing to set a date to begin checking proposed fixes for the lithium-ion batteries on its new 787 jets; agency says reports that it is close to approving test flights are inaccurate. MORE

Feb. 23, 2013

Federal Aviation Administration says it will not approve any fix to the battery problems on Boeing's 787 jetliner until there is certainty that the batteries will not fail again. MORE